YSR party wants by-polls in one go

Hyderabad: With Andhra Pradesh Assembly speaker taking no decision on their disqualification, 17 rebel legislators of the ruling Congress Monday urged the Election Commission to hold by-elections to 24 Assembly seats in one go.

In a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, the legislators loyal to YSR Congress demanded that balloting to seven vacant assembly seats be deferred till the speaker decides on their disqualification.

Seven assembly seats fell vacant late last year due to the resignation of the members. Election to these seats are due on or before April 30.

They alleged that the Congress government was forcing the speaker not to disqualify them so that the by-elections to their constituencies are not clubbed with the seven seats. They said the ruling party was afraid of facing simultaneous polls.

Violating Congress whip, the 17 legislators had voted in favour of the no-confidence motion moved against the government by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in December.

The Congress then submitted a petition seeking their disqualification. However, the speaker has still not taken any decision.